What chain do you use?

nikstar1

Never had any problems with my Sram 991 - although I am not a manic rider so am quite unlikely to snap it.

Many of my mates have had problems with others so I don't think I would normally stray from the good ol' SRAM!

djkatoom

Shimano XTR 9-speed - but I fond Shimano chains rarley break when fitted correctly using the correct jointing pin and a decent chain tool.

nikstar1

Don't yoiu find them hard to fit though??

Friend of mine and I struggle for about an hour trying to get the damn thing in the right place and although we didnt have the best tools available, we had ones good enough for the job but it was pretty tricky if you ask me!

Anonymous

All the Shimano chains I've had have broken at seemingly random places. Popped rivets, snapped links and so on.

djkatoom

I find them quite easy, but you do have to get to know the 'feel' for them when you get the pin just in the right position.

This is where a good quality chain tool comes in because they don't flex at all and you can literally feel the pin tighten up and loosen off again as it passes through the outer chain link plates, opening up the hole to its own size as it goes.

After fitting, if the link binds you probably know that slightly bending the chain sideways usually frees them up, but you should only need to do this with a little gentle force. If you need to bend it over your knee the pin isn't in the right place!!!

jpstar

KMC X8 is what im running now after I broke a SRAM PC830 3 times in one month...

capoz77

djkatoom wrote:

I find them quite easy, but you do have to get to know the 'feel' for them when you get the pin just in the right position.

This is where a good quality chain tool comes in because they don't flex at all and you can literally feel the pin tighten up and loosen off again as it passes through the outer chain link plates, opening up the hole to its own size as it goes.

After fitting, if the link binds you probably know that slightly bending the chain sideways usually frees them up, but you should only need to do this with a little gentle force. If you need to bend it over your knee the pin isn't in the right place!!!

See i'd rather not take the risk and use a decent chain joiner pin, a la wippermanns. I'm happy shortening the chain with a decent park tool, but the join has to be clean, easy to unjoin when needed and with fresh links.

At high speed with a lot of pressure applied on the pedals a chain snap can give a really nasty off. Anyone had a chain snap crash?

Anonymous

capoz77 wrote:

Anyone had a chain snap crash?

Hell yes, plenty, which is why I now ride KMC and Wippermann :evil:

Northwind

djkatoom wrote:

but I fond Shimano chains rarley break when fitted correctly using the correct jointing pin and a decent chain tool.

Do people still do that? SRAM and KMC powerlinks fit Shimano (and are the reason I know none of the Shimano chains I've seen break failed because of bad fitting)

bike-a-swan

971s stay shinier more easily than 951s I find, and I'm shallow enough to like that, so if there's a few quid going spare at the time I'll get it instead...

Nearly removed two fairly important parts of the anatomy standing up a steep climb when the chain snapped, I dropped very quickly and the bike started coming backwards until arrested violently by my nethers. Stupid thing, but flipping hurt!

snotty badger

SRAM 971- used them for a couple of years and no problems. Nice and shiny too.

I can't justify the extra ££ for 991- and 951 just ain't shiny enough!

bike-a-swan

snotty badger wrote:

SRAM 971- used them for a couple of years and no problems. Nice and shiny too.

I can't justify the extra ££ for 991- and 951 just ain't shiny enough!

I'm glad there are others!

snotty badger

giantculler

i use SRAM PC991

Northwind

Just ordered another 2 KMC X9-93s, still £10.50 from Parkers, can't really see past that myself- retail packaged and even comes with a powerlink.

beverick

Another vote for Sram 9xx's

I have a 991 on the road bike and 971's on the hybrid and MTB.

The Powerlinks can be a bit of a pain in the ar$e to remove though!

Bob

projectsome

had a stock chain on mine (think it's a sram) which just snapped so I'll be replacing it with a KMC

Bike Bloke

jayson wrote:

SRAM PC991 or 971 depending on how flush i am at the time.

Using the 991 solid pin version at the moment, no problems. However I did have the hollow-pin version and it snapped from a standing start after a week of use...leading to my chainring taking a nice chunk out of my leg.

Stick to the solid ones! Mind you those blingy Shimano Yumeya? ones looks pretty cool!

capoz77

Heres a pic of the fantastic wippermann link, how does this compare to current SRAM/KMC offerings?

Anonymous

it's approximately 33.34% better.

xtreem

By looking at it, does it needs like zero effort to remove that link?

Unlike my Powerlink which is useless. Seriously, I can't remove it. :shock:
Instead I use the chain breaker, make things a lot easier.

Northwind

Xtreem wrote:

Unlike my Powerlink which is useless. Seriously, I can't remove it. :shock:

Bad workmen

Nah, to be fair it does happen sometimes, I've come across a couple thathave been very, very difficult to move. One of them was a wee bit twisted, I assume it'd chainsucked or something, couldn't see anything wrong with the other one other than that the bastid wouldn't come off So I've got a pair of modified pliars to muscle off difficult ones.

TheNorthernTrain

Just fitted a KMC Xsomething or other. Gotta say i am very impressed, powerlink is great, can't see it ever being a problem, simple slide and remove!

allthegearnoidea

you need three hands for the power links! one to squeeze it together on the side, and one to push from each end! always a pita to do when you need to, btu when at home and noones watching they pop off with the least effort!!

park do a powerlink tool!!

Northwind

allthegearnoidea wrote:

you need three hands for the power links! one to squeeze it together on the side, and one to push from each end!

Nope. One hand to squeeze together and push from one side, the other hand to squeeze together and push from the other. You're kind of grinding the two halves together and along each other, rather than just squeezing together then pushing along

BigShot

"Ever had a chain snap crash?"

I've chewed up my shins on the pedal after a snapped chain once or twice (was broke and couldn't afford a new chain when I desperately needed one) and about 3 months ago nearly got run over due to a chain snap.

Pulled away from some lights pedalling pretty hard as in a hurry and *bang* about half way across the junction with a load of cars steaming up behind. I got dead wobbly for a moment, managed to stay on and got away to the side before the cagers mowed me down.

Despite that I'm still using a Shimano "9 speed chain, please" I got from the LBS. Feels strong so far (I always felt like the previous one was about to go on me for some reason).

I'll get something swanky when I replace my chainrings and rear cassette (both need doing) though.

xtreem

allthegearnoidea wrote:

park do a powerlink tool!!

Wasn't the point of the powerlink to be tool free?

blister pus

Xtreem wrote:

allthegearnoidea wrote:

park do a powerlink tool!!

Wasn't the point of the powerlink to be tool free?

they are when they don't have any type of lube on them it's when they get gunked up they're a turd to remove. worst one is using a lube like squirt it just sticks the plates together like glue and gets in the slide holes, master link pliers deal with that no messin'.

other than that i use my water bottle nozzle and try and clean it as best i can. that usually 'unlocks' it with the help of a topeak hexus chain hook. but it is a pain.